Unrelated to other One-shots

Chat swung his legs on the bannister, waiting for his Princess to join him on the roof. He glanced at the large clock in one of the windows across the street. 8:10. She was ten minutes late. Unusual.

He turned around, ready to knock on her trap door, but her black hair had already begun to appear at the opening.

"…the missing days, I guess." She was muttering, and he didn't know if she realized he was there. "And the fact that Chat is always there when he isn't. The thing with Rose and Adrien's shoe. I mean, it makes sense, right?" Her blue eyes were narrowed and her nose was scrunched up in concentration, and if she hadn't mentioned his real name and distracted him, he would have said it was adorable.

"He always makes those excuses too-CHAT!"

Marinette jumped 2 feet in the air, hands slapping over her mouth. The hero jumped too, feet landing on the roof with a thud, eyes wide. "Princess?"

"You're on time." she croaked, and her expression mirrored one of a deer caught in headlights.

"You sound surprised." He tried for a grin, hiding his wariness at her behavior. "I'm always on time. Believe it or not, I do enjoy your company, Princess."

"I have a question." Marinette said, almost cutting him off. Her blue eyes pierced his green ones, and he had a feeling she wasn't just looking at his eyes, but trying to dig further. She took two steps closer, close enough for him to see all the different hues in her irises, and tilted her head slightly downwards. Her expression was anything but joking. "And I need your honest answer. Can I count on you?"

Chat swallowed, eyebrows knitting together. "I will help if I can, Mari."

She nodded once, her lips pinched in a tight line. Slowly, she asked, "Are you Adrien Agreste."

His world stopped. "W-what?"

"Are you Adrien Agreste?" she repeated, this time less confident. "Under the mask, I mean."

Chat's brain wasn't working. It couldn't be. He hadn't heard her right.

Had he?

No. There was no way. He had been so careful. Replays of all the times he had failed to cover his tracks flashed against his eyelids.

Maybe not so careful.

Still, she couldn't know.

"Chat?" her voice was quiet, almost scared, and his eyes met hers again.

"I-I- you've got me mixed up with someone else, Prin-,"

"Chat." Marinette's voice was firm once more. "Are you Adrien Agreste?"

He couldn't possibly tell her, could he?

But then again, this was Marinette. If he couldn't trust her, then he couldn't trust anyone.

His shoulders fell with his gaze. "How did you figure it out?"

Instead of replying, she slapped a hand over her mouth again, and she stumbled backwards. Her blue eyes were wider than tea-cup saucers, and she grabbed at the flower pots to steady herself. Her gaze was scared, crazed almost, and her breath was quick and ragged.

Concern spiked inside him. "Mari? Mari, what's wrong?"

"Oh my god." She whispered through trembling fingers."

"Mari?"

"You're Adrien."

Chat walked towards her slowly as not to scare her further. "Yes, yes I am."

"I kissed you."

He halted immediately. "Pardon?"

"Oh my gosh, I kissed Adrien Agreste." She turned away, leaving him slightly shocked, and reality seemed to slip from beneath her. "I kissed Adrien Agreste."

"I'm fairly sure I would remember kissing you, Princess." Chat attempted to bring her back to him.

"Oh my gosh," her raven head whirled back to face him, and her eyes flamed with anger. "YOU COULD HAVE DIED!"

Her volume sent him back a step. "Princess, what are you-,"

"All the times you've fought the akumas, you could have died!" Marinette's eyes were fearful, desperate. "What would we have done without you? what would I have done without you? Ladybug can't save the city alone, Chat!"

The blonde advanced again, intent on calming her down. "Marinette, listen-,"

"That time with Volpina." She suddenly seethed. "You defended her! Oh, I knew it was hopeless to think I could amount to her!"

His heart pained. "Hold on a minute-,"

"And I kissed you!" she covered her face with her hands. "I will never get over that, dear heavens."

"Marinette, listen to me!" he grabbed her arms, forcing her to look at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I sent you to protect Chloe." She whispered, horror in her blue stare. "I sent you to protect Chloe."

"You sent me?" Chat's brows were furrowed deeper than he believed possible. "What on earth are you talking about? Are you sick?"

"Oh my gosh." He didn't believe her eyes could grow any wider, but he was proved wrong. "When I told you to come protect me from Evillistrator, and you flirted with me. Adrien flirted with me."

"You sent me to protect you? Princess, you need to go rest, you sound delusional." And maybe when you wake up you'll think this was all a dream.

"You've fought at my side for 3 years and I had no idea."

Her voice was tiny, almost inaudible, but he was close enough to make it out.

"Fought…?" he asked quietly, his own eyes widening with the start of a realization, and he immediately caught her gaze again. "Wait,"

Marinette jerked out of his arms. "I didn't mean to say that."

"Hold on-,"

"Forget everything I said." She backed towards the trap door, ready to escape.

"No, Marinette, don't leave-," Chat heard the urgency in his own voice. She couldn't leave, not now. Not when he was just having an epiphany.

"I'm sorry, just-just forget everything that just happened." Marinette turned around, ready to jump down into her room and die from embarrassment no doubt, when his hand reached out and caught her arm.

Chat twirled her around and kept her in place as his eyes searched. Searched for something, anything, that would prove him right. That would end his curiosity.

And then suddenly, everything did.

Everything about her proved him right.

Her smile, her eyes, her freckles. The way she laughed. Her confidence. Her curiosity and her kindness and her courage.

All of her.

All of her was the proof.

Oh, he was an idiot.

"My Lady?"

Marinette gasped, and her eyes were misting over. His heart clenched at the tears that shone against her cerulean irises. "Bugaboo? Is-is it you?"

He had to be sure.

Oh, God, please let it be her.

Her eyes crinkled back in a teary smile. "Hello, Kitty."

Chat dissolved in her arms, wrapping her securely in his embrace. He held her so tightly he was sure it was hurting her, but she didn't complain. On the contrary, her hands linked behind his neck, pulling him impossibly nearer, and he could feel her breath on his skin, and he shivered.

"Marinette." He purred.

"Adrien." She returned.

Her laughter accompanied his and he hugged her unbearably tighter until she pushed him away to breathe. "Hello, Kitty." She repeated, quieter, gentler, almost as if it was something that would save her life.

And maybe it was, for he knew her name had saved him many a time.

"Hello, Ladybug." He returned, just as sweet. "God, I'm so glad it's you."

"You are?" she asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"Undoubtedly so." Chat replied. He released his transformation, and her gaze softened even more, hands reaching up to mess up his sleek blonde bangs.

"If I had done this before, I would have known you were Chat much earlier." She giggled.

Oh, that giggle. He should ask if that could be his ringtone.

"I am so happy it's you." he repeated, blush dusting his cheeks.

"You said that already." Marinette pointed out.

"And I will say it again until I feel it's enough." he answered.

She smiled softly, and he fell in love all over again. It was her turn to pull him against her tightly, and her lips grazed his ear. "You are enough, Adrien. I promise you, you're enough."

He buried his nose into her hair and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Ladybug."

"I love you, Chat Noir."

Oh, God, please let me hear that for the rest of my life.

"Would you like some cookies?" she asked, as if this wasn't the best moment in his life and he could live off it forever.

An excuse to spend time with his Lady? "I would adore some cookies."

Marinette giggled, pulling away, but intertwining her fingers with his and walking towards the trapdoor, Adrien at her heels.

"Now what is this about you kissing me?"

She laughed, a lovely sound. "I'll make sure you remember it this time."

His cheeks grew darker, and he sighed happily.

Man, he loved that woman.